Former FBI Director James Comey continued his media tour Tuesday morning with an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America. Host George Stephanopoulos asked Comey, among several topics, for his thoughts on the Inspector General report that recently came out about Comey’s former Deputy Director, Andrew McCabe.
The report detailed several instances where McCabe had been dishonest regarding a leak about the investigation of the Clinton Foundation. McCabe was recently fired days before he was set to retire. When asked for his thoughts on McCabe’s firing, Comey wouldn’t give an answer, but praised the FBI’s process for showing that they hold people accountable, and blasted President Donald Trump for his comments on the matter.
“I think the process inside the Justice Department worked well,” Comey said. “Where it was tainted was where the President of the United States calling for the firing or imprisonment of someone like Andrew McCabe.”
President Trump had been vocal in his criticism of both McCabe and Comey, often lumping them together as dishonest and even saying, “McCabe is Comey!!” after the Inspector General’s report came out.
DOJ just issued the McCabe report – which is a total disaster. He LIED! LIED! LIED! McCabe was totally controlled by Comey – McCabe is Comey!! No collusion, all made up by this den of thieves and lowlifes!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2018
When pressed on whether he agreed with McCabe’s firing, Comey said, “I don’t have a view on what the ultimate discipline should have been.”
Speaking of Trump, Comey also touched on the president’s reaction to the FBI’s raid on his attorney Michael Cohen‘s office and home. Trump called the raid “an attack on our country,” after saying he had heard that the FBI “broke into” Cohen’s office.
Comey had strong words for this reaction.
“It shows me he either doesn’t know or doesn’t care what the rule of law looks like,” he said. “Nobody broke into anybody’s office, it doesn’t happen. The FBI gets a search warrant from a federal judge and conducts itself professionally, completely, and politely….. It’s a total distortion of the way things work.”
[Image via ABC screengrab]
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